Jeffrey Godsick to Head Sony Pictures New Branding Division

Sony Pictures Entertainment has formed a new brand management division and promoted Jeffrey Godsick to lead the unit — a move to try to exploit the “long-term branding initiatives” for franchise films like “Hotel Transylvania,” “Jumanji,” “Spider-Man,” and “Smurfs.”

Sony’s global marketing and distribution boss, Josh Greenstein, announced the move in an email to employees Thursday morning. Godsick’s title will be executive vice president of worldwide partnerships and brand management.

The new division is charged with giving movies from Sony Pictures “new life beyond the screen,” Greenstein told workers. The memo continued: “These strategies will enhance our collaboration across other Sony Corporation businesses, expand our IP into cross-media opportunities beyond film, and develop new revenue streams. The new structure will offer more concentrated resources to support our growing global infrastructure, and further our ongoing commitment to leverage films for added value.”

Sony has been struggling to get traction with its film business after a series of lackluster outings for films like “Ghostbusters,” “The Brothers Grimsby” and “Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk.”

Godsick came to Sony last year, leaving his post as president of Fox Consumer Products to become executive vice president of worldwide partnerships for Sony’s motion picture group. Several employees made the shift from Fox to Sony after Tom Rothman became head of Sony’s motion picture group in early 2015.

Godsick will report to Greenstein. In another move to strengthen the branding unit, former senior VP of business development Jay Galston will shift to become senior VP of brand strategy and business development, reporting to Godsick.